Treaty obligations

 

By ratifying or acceding to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, States Parties commit to never use, produce, stockpile or transfer cluster munitions. In addition, States Parties commit to promote universal adherence to the CCM; destroy stockpiled munitions; clear contaminated land and conduct risk education; assist victims; provide technical, material and financial assistance to other States Parties; undertake transparency measures; and enact legal, administrative and other measures to implement the Convention.

To guide States Parties effectively implement the Convention during the period 2021 to 2026, at the September 2021 Second Review Conference of States Parties to the Convention, States agreed to the Lausanne Action Plan (LAP). This action plan elaborates the priorities established by States Parties through the various actions to be undertaken and the expected key results to be derived from these actions.

On these pages you can find more information about each of these commitments, including what they entail and why they matter.

Stockpile destruction (Art. 3)

A core obligation for all States Parties is to ensure the destruction of existing stockpiles of cluster munitions. Such destruction is to be completed as soon as possible and no later than 8 years after the entry into force of the Convention.

Clearance and risk education (Art. 4)

To protect civilians from the danger represented by unexploded ordnance, States Parties are obliged to clear land contaminated by cluster munitions remnants as soon as possible and no later than 10 years after entry into force of the Convention. States Parties are moreover obliged to conduct risk education.

Victim assistance (Art. 5)

States Parties to the Convention are obliged to provide assistance to victims of cluster munitions. Such assistance includes medical care, rehabilitation and psychological support, as well as provisions for social and economic inclusion.

International cooperation & assistance (Art. 6)

States Parties in a position to do so are obliged under the Convention on Custer Munitions to provide assistance to affected States. Such assistance can be of a technical, material and/or financial nature.

Transparency measures (Art. 7)

To ensure effective implementation and measure progress under the Convention, States Parties are obliged to report regularly on several issues, including national implementation measures undertaken, number and characteristics of stockpiles, extent of cluster munition contamination and measures undertaken to assist victims.

National implementation measures (Art. 9)

Article 9 obliges States Parties to take all appropriate legal, administrative and other measures to implement the Convention, including the imposition of penal sanctions.